Wilderness: an empty and pathless place that is bleak, lonely, and dry. Wilderness is not always a place on the map. Far too often wilderness is a bewildering situation we discover ourselves in the middle of. In the wilderness, we feel we are tested to our limits – mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually.

Jesus experienced the wilderness immediately after his baptism and the powerful affirmation of who he was: “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased” (Mark 1:11). For forty days in the wilderness, Jesus was tempted and tested. He faced wild beast and angels attended to him. He went on from that wilderness to his fruitful season on ministry. Instead of being crushed by the experience, Jesus survived the wilderness.

We will learn Wilderness Survival from Jesus’ experience in the wilderness. The season of Lent is a perfect time to prepare ourselves for the bleak, lonely, and dry wilderness that will come our way. Learning from Jesus, the wilderness will not defeat us. From our Wilderness Survival lessons, we will emerge from the wilderness stronger than when we entered.   

• March 10 - Learning in the Wilderness / Mark 1:12-15 / Holy Communion

• March 17 - Wilderness Temptations / Mark 1:13; 2 Corinthians 4:8-11

• March 24 - From Where Does My Help Come? / Hebrews 4:14-16

• March 31 - Patrick Sinclair Preaches

• April 7 - Doubts: Ants in the Pants of Faith / Mark 9:14-27; Matthew 27:35-46 / Holy Communion

• April 14 - Carrying an Anchor in the Wilderness / Mark 1:13; 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 / Palm Sunday

• April 21 - Wilderness Never Has the Last Word! / 2 Corinthians 5:14-19 / Easter